Sufferings of differently-abled persons are endless, especially while travelling from one place to another. In Madurai district, they are put to many hardships while travelling in the absence of proper toilet facilities in bus terminals.
The three major bus terminals in the Madurai city, Mattuthavani integrated bus terminal, Periyar and Arapalayam bus terminals have exclusive toilet facilities for differently-abled persons. But all these are found closed, leaving the travellers in the lurch.
S Boopathy, state vice-president of Tamil Nadu Physically Handicapped Associations Federation said that no bus terminal in Madurai district is disabled-friendly. "With the absence of even proper toilet facilities, we undergo innumerable problems at bus terminals. The differently-abled people, who cannot walk, have no other option but to suffer. Although the Persons with Disability Act, 1995 ensures equal rights for differently-abled people it is not implemented in reality," he said.
A Gobikannan, an international differently-abled player from the city said, "We cannot use the toilet meant for normal people. The exclusive toilets for differently-abled persons are available in all the major bus terminals in the city. But they remain closed all the time. We have no other option but to postpone attending to nature's call until we reach home," he said.
The problems faced by women differently-abled people at the bus terminals due to the absence of proper toilet facilities are huge. M Kamatchi, an international differently-abled player said, "I avoid using the public transport system to stay away from such problems."
When contacted, Madurai mayor V V Rajan Chellappa said, "The toilets meant for differently-abled are often used by normal people and as a consequence they begin to stink. Hence, the toilets are locked. However, the keys for the toilets would be available at the nearby public toilets. The differently-abled can use the toilets after getting the keys," he said.
The three major bus terminals in the Madurai city, Mattuthavani integrated bus terminal, Periyar and Arapalayam bus terminals have exclusive toilet facilities for differently-abled persons. But all these are found closed, leaving the travellers in the lurch.
S Boopathy, state vice-president of Tamil Nadu Physically Handicapped Associations Federation said that no bus terminal in Madurai district is disabled-friendly. "With the absence of even proper toilet facilities, we undergo innumerable problems at bus terminals. The differently-abled people, who cannot walk, have no other option but to suffer. Although the Persons with Disability Act, 1995 ensures equal rights for differently-abled people it is not implemented in reality," he said.
A Gobikannan, an international differently-abled player from the city said, "We cannot use the toilet meant for normal people. The exclusive toilets for differently-abled persons are available in all the major bus terminals in the city. But they remain closed all the time. We have no other option but to postpone attending to nature's call until we reach home," he said.
The problems faced by women differently-abled people at the bus terminals due to the absence of proper toilet facilities are huge. M Kamatchi, an international differently-abled player said, "I avoid using the public transport system to stay away from such problems."
When contacted, Madurai mayor V V Rajan Chellappa said, "The toilets meant for differently-abled are often used by normal people and as a consequence they begin to stink. Hence, the toilets are locked. However, the keys for the toilets would be available at the nearby public toilets. The differently-abled can use the toilets after getting the keys," he said.
Source : T.O.I ( 25th April 2013 )
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